The Interpretation of the Vision by Gabriel - Daniel 8:15-27

Gabriel means “warrior of God” or “man of God.” Gabriel
is the archangel that Yahweh employed to send messages of
great importance to Daniel, Zechariah, and Mary. This angelic
being took the appearance of a man.

The man’s voice that Daniel heard could have been
Enoch, Elijah, an angel or God Himself. Terrified by the
presence of Gabriel, Daniel fell, prostrate, in a deep
sleep. The archangel touched Daniel and raised him to his
feet.

Gabriel began the interpretation by declaring that the
vision pertained to “the time of the end,” “the appointed
time,” and “the time of wrath.” These three times describe
the same period—the period of history during God’s
indignation or anger with Israel because of its rebellion
against Him. Gentile domination and mistreatment of the
Jews began with the northern kingdom of Israel being
dispersed by Assyria. It continued with the southern
kingdom of Judah being exiled to Babylon, and it will
continue until the second coming of Christ. Yet, the times
announced by Gabriel point to “the time of the end” or
“the times of the Gentiles,” which Jesus calls “the time
of punishment.”

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you
will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who
are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city
get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all
that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those
days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be
great distress in the land and wrath against this people.
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners
to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled
(Luke 21:20-24).

This is “the appointed time,” and “the time of wrath.”
Gabriel’s interpretation of the vision, therefore, skips
rapidly over Medo-Persia and Greece to predict events at
the end of this age—“what will happen later in the time of
wrath.”

Hence, the vision concerning the “little horn” has a
double fulfillment. Antiochus IV Epiphanes is a type of
the Antichrist. With the rise of both “little horns,” God
judges Israel as a rebel because the people have become
completely wicked. Wickedness is the primary reason for
God’s wrath (cf. Genesis 6:5-7). The first part of
Gabriel’s prediction fits Antiochus as well as the
Antichrist.

A stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise.
He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He
will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in
whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and
the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he
will consider himself superior.

Was Antiochus a man energized by the power of Satan? It
is definitely predicted that the Antichrist will be
empowered by Satan. “The dragon gave the beast his power
and his throne and great authority” (Revelation 13:2). We
are told that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot (John
13:27) and undoubtedly, he has entered others in history.
Possibly, Adolph Hitler, who was involved with the occult,
was possessed by Satan in his attempt to rule the world
before “the appointed time of the end.”

How the stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, rises
to power and becomes very strong is predicted in chapter
eleven. This ruler will arrive upon the scene riding a
white horse; he will have a bow in his hand, but no arrow.
He will present himself as the prince of peace (Revelation
6:2). He will announce himself as the savior of the world
and God will assist him with the deception.

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance
with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of
counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort
of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish
because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that
they will believe the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11).

The second part of Gabriel’s prediction applies only to
the Antichrist.

When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take
his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be
destroyed, but not by human power.

This prediction cannot apply to Antiochus IV. Judas
Maccabeus drove out the Syrian army in 165 B.C., at which
time the Temple was cleansed from its pollution and
rededicated. The death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 163
B.C. is described in 1 Maccabees 6:8-13. When the king
heard the news that the Jews tore down the abomination he
had erected, he became downhearted and a deep grief
overcame him unto death. His death was not supernatural.

It is the Antichrist, who “will take his stand against
the Prince of princes.” The Prince of princes is Christ
Jesus. The stern-faced king will be no match for Him.
Christ will destroy the Antichrist by His divine power as
predicted; the Seed of the Woman will crush the serpent’s
head (Genesis 3:15).

The time involved in Gabriel’s interpretation needs to
be decoded.

The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been
given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns
the distant future.

How long is “the distant future” from Daniel’s
time—several hundred years, twenty-six hundred years, or
more? Is this prediction a double reference prophecy? How
long is it to be sealed up? Certainly, those who have
attempted to make the 2,300 evenings and mornings equal
2.300 years have turned out to be very foolish.

We can be a little foolish and make some educated
guesses at the fulfillment of this prediction if we do not
take them too seriously. If “2,300 evenings and mornings”
represent 2,300 days, the period must extend beyond the
Tribulation since the ending of the daily sacrifice and
setting up of the image of the beast does not occur until
the middle of the Tribulation. The 2,300 days might refer
to the time it will take to build or reconsecrate the
Temple (Ezekiel 40:1-44:31).

If evenings and mornings each represent sacrifices
instead of days, the 2,300 equals 1,150 days (3 years, 2
months, and 10 days based on the 360day prophetic year).
Thus, the image of the beast might stand on the wing of
the Temple for that amount of time. On the 1,150th day
from its erection, “the abomination of desolation” will
come down. On the other hand, this image might be
destroyed by the end time earthquake that causes the
cities of the nations to collapse (Revelation 16:18).

One needs to add 110 days (3 months and 20 days) to
1,150 days before reaching 1,260 days or 42 months or 3
1/2 years—God’s predetermined time for the second half of
the Tribulation Period (Daniel 9:27; 12:7; Revelation
12:4; 13:5).

When the Jews see the abomination of desolation spoken
of through the prophet Daniel, they are told to flee into
the mountains (Matthew 24:16-21). They will flee for the
whole 1,260 days according to Revelation 12:6-14. Will
those who remain in Jerusalem reconsecrate the sanctuary
110 days before the end of the Tribulation? That could be
the catalyst that brings the kings together at Armageddon
(Revelation 16:16). It also is possible that Christ’s
statement on days cut short affects any calculation.

For then there will be great distress, unequaled from
the beginning of the world until now—and never to be
equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no
one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those
days will be shortened (Matthew 24:21-22).

The time of the end is stated in Daniel 8:25 as being
when the little horn stands up against the Prince of
princes—Christ.

The vision of chapter seven deeply troubled Daniel and
his face turned pale. This vision had a greater affect on
him.

I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several
days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I
was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

The strain on the aged prophet was more than he could
bear physically, mentally and spiritually, yet after
several days he went to his work. The prophet had the same
concern for his people as the apostle Paul (Romans 9:1-3).
Overwhelmed by what the future held for his people, Daniel
was appalled by the vision.

There are two ways to take “it was beyond
understanding:” (1) certain aspects of the vision were
beyond understanding; or (2) God’s future wrath upon His
people was beyond understanding. There is always a sense
of awe and mystery in the ways of God.